Broken Angel
by Leopardus Pardalis
Summary: An act of Bakura's helps Ryou let go of the past.


Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh belongs to Kazuki Takashi. This includes Amane.

Warning: This is based in the fanon universe, in which Yami no Bakura has his own body and is referred to as Bakura.

"Ryou, mine next! Open mine next!" Amane excitedly pushed a lumpy package of purple wrapping paper into Ryou's hands. Ryou smiled as he took the gift and started to tear the long pieces of tapes stuck everywhere on the present. Amane bounced in her seat, unable to sit still. Ryou pulled back the paper to reveal the back of a Duels Monsters card. He flipped it over; there was a picture of a girl, half angel and half demon. The Change of Heart.

Ryou looked up at Amane. "Thank you. It's a great card, and pretty as well."

Amane giggled. "There's more, silly. Open it more." Ryou did so, relieved that Amane hadn't used a pound of wrapping paper to wrap a single card. She was known to be very enthusiastic when wrapping presents. Once Ryou pulled away the final layer of paper, an angel figurine revealed itself. The angel herself was stone, but she wore a dress made of white silk. Her hands were folded in prayer in front of her, her long, curly hair flowed down her back, and her wings, as long as she was tall, were spread out behind her. Amane, however, had added some details herself. Her right wing was covered with silver glitter and her left wing was covered in black glitter. Ryou carefully lifted it up.

"Thank you, Amane. It's beautiful."

Amane looked up at him nervously. "You really like it?" she asked.

Ryou nodded. "I'll treasure it always." Amane grinned and lunged forward to give him a hug. Ryou carefully set the doll aside and hugged her tightly back.

"Alright guys, let's get this cleaned up so we can go eat some birthday cake," their father said as he stood up.

Amane jumped up and grabbed his hand. "C'mon, Daddy! Can I put the candles on?" she asked as she pulled him into the kitchen.

Ryou's mother began to gather up scraps of wrapping paper as Ryou collected his new books, role-playing game and Duel Monsters cards from his parents and his Change of Heart card and doll from Amane. "You're such a wonderful brother, Ryou," she commented, "She's so lucky to have you."

Ryou smiled but shook his head. "No," he answered, "I'm lucky to have her."

"Where the heck is the ravioli?" Ryou asked himself out loud as he searched the cupboards. His dad was working late tonight, and his mother was taking Amane to a friend's house to spend the night, so Ryou had volunteered to make dinner. Unfortunately, his desired dish was nowhere to be found. Sighing, Ryou had gave up on finding the stuffed pasta and decided to make spaghetti instead.

As Ryou was filling a pot with water, the phone rang. Ryou turned off the water and picked up the phone. "Bakura residence."

"Is a Mr. Stephan Bakura available?" a deep voice asked.

"No, he's at work right now. May I take a message?" Ryou asked.

"May I ask who I'm speaking with, first?" he asked.

"I'm Ryou Bakura; Stephan Bakura would be my father."

The man hesitated before speaking. "I'm afraid I have some bad news, Ryou. There's been an accident."

Ryou felt himself go cold. "An accident?"

"Your mother was driving when a drunk driver pushed her off the road."

"Is she alright?" His voice sounded odd, detached and not his own.

"I'm sorry. Neither she nor your sister made it." The man felt sincerely apologetic.

Ryou felt sick. "Amane was there?" Not only was his mother gone, but Amane, his precious baby sister, was gone. Ryou was in shock. She couldn't be gone, she just couldn't. She was still a child, an innocent baby girl.

"I terribly sorry for your loss. Don't worry about telling your father. We'll contact him at his work." The phone started to beep as the man hung up. Ryou placed the phone back into its cradle, and then wordlessly climbed the stairs. When he reached his bedroom, he closed his door behind him then leaned against it, his hand still clutching the doorknob, as if he were too tired to take another step. His eyes were glazed over as he stared into nothing, until something shimmering on his shelf caught his eye. It was the angel doll, the glitter on her wings catching the last rays of sunlight coming in from the window as the sun sunk below the horizon. Amane had been so proud of that doll.

Ryou slowly pushed himself off the door and began to make his way across the room. He stopped about a foot from where the angel sat, and he lifted his hand to run a finger down her face. Her eyes were the same shade as Amane's; he had never noticed before. His vision blurred as tears welled up in his eyes. His trembling legs finally gave out under him, and he collapsed on the floor, sobbing into his hands.

Ryou stood silently in front of the graves. In one hand he held two lilies; in the other he held the angel figurine Amane had given to him years earlier. After what seemed like many hours of quiet reflection, he bent down and placed a flower in front of both graves. As he straightened up, another figure shimmered into sight behind him. "Why do you do this?" the spirit asked, "The dead cannot appreciate gifts."

"It is to remember them, and to honor their memory," was the quiet reply.

Bakura scoffed. "It is to remember? Surely you jest. You can't possibly forget them, can't even accept that your beloved Amane is dead. You still write to her, talk to her. You pay more attention to her than me, your other half. You even sleep with that childish doll of hers."

Ryou winced. "Leave me alone. At least let me mourn in peace."

"It's been three years, yadonushi. The time for mourning is past," Bakura growled. Nevertheless, he disappeared into the ring. Ryou clutched the doll closer. A lone tear ran down his cheek.

Ryou sat at his desk by the light of his lamp. On his beside table, his digital clock showed the time to be one thirty-five a.m. Ryou's pen stilled as he heard the front door slam. Footsteps could be heard climbing up the stairs, walking down the hall, finally stopping at Ryou's open door. Without turning around, Ryou asked, "Where have you been?"

"Why do you care?" Bakura's words were slightly slurred.

"Honestly? I have no idea." Ryou's tone was bitter. "It's not as though you were ever concerned about me." Ryou stood up and started to make his way to his bed. Before he could reach it, however, Bakura strode forward and grabbed him by the arm.

"I'm the only one who has any concern for you at all!"

Ryou stumbled as he jerked his arm back. He winced as his lower back hit the edge of the bedside table. "That's not true!"

"Really? Who else do you think gives a shit about you?" Bakura taunted, "Your father? He calls, what, once a week at most? He's only home one, two, sometimes even three times a month. Or did you mean Yuugi-tachi, your so-called friends? Face it hikari, the only reason they associate with you at all is because they felt sorry for you 'cause you were the new kid. They let you tag along on their little 'adventures' because they pity you, poor little Ryou with no real family or friends and a demon for a yami."

"Shut up! They do care about me; they've proven it."

"Proven it? By doing what? By throwing away our ring? Don't you remember how lonely you felt then, how empty until I returned? They looked after your body when you were trapped in the shadow realm, true, but who was there watching over you when you awoke? No one. They only helped you because the Pharaoh felt responsible and because his little light wants to help every little weakling he meets."

Ryou was shaking, furious, but also disturbed, for his yami was speaking out loud his own secret fears. "It's more than you've ever done!"

"More than I've ever done?!" Bakura was yelling by now. "I have _always_ been there for you, the _only_ one who's been there. I've looked after you, protected you, made it so you could play games with your 'friends' forever, just like you wished for. If it weren't for me you'd be all alone probably dead, killed by some random thugs or by your own hands because I wasn't there to kill the criminals that threatened you or stop you from slitting your own wrists."

Ryou has his eyes closed and his hands over his ears in an attempt to block out Bakura's words. "Shut up, dammit! Just SHUT UP!"

Bakura ignored him. "But what thanks do I get? What do I get in return for looking after you all these years, for saving your very life? Nothing. Nothing but silence, sarcasm and lectures, even vows of hatred while you pour your heart out to your _precious, little, Amane!"_ Bakura spat his last three words like poison, then suddenly grabbed the doll lying on Ryou's pillow and hurled her against a wall. As the angel hit, a loud _crack!_ Resonated, and the doll fell to the floor in pieces. Ryou let out a cry as he stared at the broken angel in horror, then ran out of the room, ignoring Bakura cry out after him. When he reached the den, he flung himself on the sofa and sobbed into his arms as he fell asleep.

Ryou awoke when it was still dark. He slowly opened his eyes and realized he wasn't in his bed. It took a moment for him to remember what had happened. When he did, he felt misery well up in his chest. He rolled over, blinking away tears, then froze as he looked into the kitchen. Bakura was sitting at the kitchen table, facing away from him. He had brought the lamp from Ryou's bedroom downstairs and appeared to be working on something. "Bakura?" Ryou whispered.

Bakura paused. "Go back to sleep, hikari." Ryou opened his mouth to say more, but a wave of sleepiness washed over him, and he yawned instead. The last moment before he fell asleep, as he fought to keep his eyes open, he realized someone had covered him with a blanket.

When Ryou woke again, it was morning. He opened his eyes to see his alarm clock showing the time. Ryou blinked, confused. Hadn't he fallen asleep on the couch? The only one who could have carried him up here was Bakura. But hadn't he covered him with a blanket last night? Why hadn't he taken him up then? Something Bakura had said drifted across his mind. _Who was there watching over you when you awoke? _Before he could ponder the strange behavior of his other half anymore, the door creaked open. "Ryou? Can I come in?" It was Bakura, of course.

"Alright," Ryou acquiesced quietly. Bakura quickly crossed the room to stand by Ryou's bed, and then held something out to him.

"Take it," Bakura told him gruffly. Ryou glanced at what he was holding, then quickly sat up. His hands quivered as he took the doll from Bakura. She had been fixed. Cracks could be seen on her wings and face, but every piece had been glued back in place. There was also a spot of red on her dress. Ryou peeked at Bakura's hands. Several scratches were visible and a tissue had been hastily wrapped around his right palm. Blood had stained it red. Ryou looked back down at the angel. "Thank you," he murmured.

"You're welcome." Bakura's voice was rough and unsure. Ryou placed the angel on his pillow, but then looked down at it and frowned. He picked it up again, climbed off his bed, and walked over to his bookshelf. Bakura turned around to watch him. Ryou gently placed the doll in an open place on his shelf. He then turned around and smiled gently at Bakura.

"C'mon, yami," he said kindly, "I'll bandage your hands."

End

A/N: If you haven't heard of Aname, I suggest you read the manga. It shows much more of the characters' backgrounds, personalities and everyday-lives than the anime.


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